Families of the 67 victims killed in the Reagan National Airport crash are demanding answers after an NTSB report revealed a shocking 15,000 near misses occurred at the airport over three years before the tragedy.
Top Takeaways
- The January crash between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Blackhawk helicopter killed 67 people in what officials now admit was a preventable tragedy.
- An NTSB report uncovered 15,000 near misses at Reagan National Airport between 2021-2024, information the FAA had access to but failed to act upon.
- Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau admitted during Senate testimony that “something was missed” that could have prevented the fatal collision.
- Clifford Law Offices has filed pre-case claims against the federal government for up to $250 million on behalf of victims’ families.
- The FAA is implementing new regulations requiring most aircraft around Reagan to use ADS-B Out tracking technology, with exceptions for high-security missions.
Preventable Tragedy Sparks Outrage
Family members of those who perished when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River on January 29 are expressing growing anger after learning the catastrophe could have been prevented. The crash, which claimed 67 lives, has come under intense scrutiny following a Senate aviation subcommittee hearing on March 27, 2025. Testimony revealed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had data showing thousands of dangerous near-miss incidents at Reagan National Airport in the years leading up to the disaster but failed to implement safety measures that might have prevented the collision.
Dailey Crafton, who lost his brother in the crash, voiced his frustration with officials during the hearing. “I was surprised at the lapses of safety protocols that led to this crash,” Crafton stated. “Specifically, even since the crash, certain safety measures that could have been simply implemented still have not been. Accountability is still not being taken by parties who should be held responsible.”
Grilled by US Senate over several air accidents involving United States airlines, Federal Aviation Authority said it would ramp up surveillance by hiring 2,000 trainees in 2025 for Air Traffic Control. #IO @FAANews @SenatePress https://t.co/BGH6ejJJGl
— INDIA OUTBOUND MAGAZINE (@indiaoutbound) March 28, 2025
15,000 Warning Signs Ignored
The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary investigation has uncovered a disturbing pattern of safety lapses. NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy revealed during the hearing that “Between October 2021 and December 2024 there were over 15,000 close proximity events between commercial aircraft and helicopters at DCA.” This alarming statistic indicates that the risk of a catastrophic midair collision had been building for years, with federal authorities failing to recognize or address the danger despite having access to this critical data.
“The failure to share details about near midair collisions, or to perform trend analysis on the history of such incidents, or otherwise take action to address the high number of occurrences, is completely unacceptable. All entities who failed to take action must be held accountable to the victims’ families and to the flying public,” said Tracy Brammeier, an attorney representing several victims’ families.
FAA Admits Failures
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau made a rare admission of responsibility during his testimony before the Senate subcommittee. “Something was missed at the DCA crash. I take that seriously. I take that on myself,” Rocheleau acknowledged. The FAA has since announced plans to hire 2,000 additional air traffic controllers and implement new technological solutions, including using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze airspace data for potential safety issues.
“This crash simply should not have happened. It is a tragedy the suffering that these families have to go through because no one in the proper authoritative positions bothered to do anything about what was happening at DCA until it was too late. Although these family members have lost their loved ones, I am heartened by the Senate members making aviation a top priority and making a commitment to safety,” said Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner of Clifford Law Offices.
Seeking Justice Through Legal Action
The Clifford Law Offices has filed pre-case claims against the federal government for up to $250 million on behalf of victims’ families. These claims are the first step toward formal lawsuits, which cannot be filed until after a mandatory waiting period. Meanwhile, Senator Ted Cruz pressed Brigadier General Matthew Braman for access to an Army memo regarding ADS-B Out operations, threatening further action if the document was not provided. “The Army has a memo August 9, 2024 entitled ADS-B Out Off Operations in the National Airspace. My staff requested that memo from you, and my understanding is your team declined to provide it,” Cruz stated during the hearing.
The NTSB has already recommended barring helicopter traffic over specific areas of the Potomac River and is examining whether equipment malfunctions in the Army’s helicopter fleet may have contributed to the crash. Some Army helicopters had stopped transmitting ADS-B Out data for unknown reasons, a critical safety feature that allows aircraft to be tracked by air traffic controllers. The Department of Transportation has agreed to follow the NTSB’s interim safety recommendations while the investigation continues, with a final report expected within a year.
